8/18/13

I finally finished the quilt top for the Frames Quilt I have been working on and I started to quilt it. Since my last attempt to Free Motion Quilting was somewhat successful I decided to to try FMQ for this quilt. But it is going very slowly. It seem like if this quilt doesn't want to get finished:)

8/15/13

I made brownies... not that one needs a special reason to make brownies, but I had a couple of good ones. Things have been crazy busy around here and I needed a little pick me up and what's better than chocolate to brighten up a bad day (or week). And I had zucchini in the fridge that needed to be used.

I intended to use a recipe I had. I don't know where I got it from or how long ago, but I remembered the brownies were good. However, I couldn't find it anywhere... Mmmm I think I need to organize my recipes! But that is another story. I was determined to make zucchini brownies and my missing recipe wasn't going to stop me. So this recipe is the result of my desire to use up my zucchini and eat some chocolate. You can hardly taste the zucchini in the brownies, but it helps to create a lighter brownie.

Probably next time I'm flipping through the pages of one my books that old missing recipe is going to turn up. Now that I no longer need it. That always happens, once you stop looking for something it shows up unexpectedly.

Zucchini Brownies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons coconut oil

8 ounces (about 1 cup) semisweet or dark chocolate chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup grated zucchini

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit . Line a 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a few inches of overhang (that really helps when removing the brownies from the pan). In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and set aside.

2. In a large microwave safe bowl combine coconut oil and chocolate. Heat in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals until all melted stirring every time to combine well. Stir in sugars and mix well to dissolve. Add eggs, grated zucchini, vanilla extract and walnuts. Mix in flour mixture until well combined without over mixing.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool for about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into squares or triangles. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

8/13/13

My fabric covered coffee cans that I made a while ago to store my fabric scraps. Well I'm super excited because they got featured in the current issue of Quilt it Today Magazine. Super fun magazine filled with quilty inspiration and great patterns.

If you would to make your own you can find my tutorial for covering tin cans here.

8/11/13

I had a very productive sewing weekend (I wanted to do more, but there are just not enough hour in the day). I've been working on a new quilt using the Patchwork Frames Pattern from my dear friend Beth @ Plum and June. When she asked me if I would like to test the pattern for her I didn't think it twice. The pattern is fantastic and immediately fell in love with it. I thought it was the perfect pattern to showcase the last bits of my beloved Alexander Henry Flea Market Friends fabric. I have been holding on to that fabric for a while using just bits here and there afraid to run out. Does that happen to you too? Do you have a favorite fabric and find it difficult to cut into it?

I'm absolutely thrilled about how this quilt is looking; I'm really looking forward to getting back to it next weekend and hopefully finish it.